Alabama 53, Meridian Street widening projects about to begin

View full sizeHuntsville Times file photoCars wait to turn off Nick Fitcheard Road at Alabama 53 near Research Park Boulevard in this 2002 photo. Work to widen Alabama 53 from Nick Fitcheard Road to Jeff Road is set to begin in two weeks.

HUNTSVILLE, AL. - Construction on two major road widening projects, one of which will stretch into 2013, will begin in two weeks. Reed Contracting Services plans to begin work on the next phase of widening Alabama 53 and the widening of Meridian Street on March 7.

The Alabama 53 project involves widening the highway to four and five lanes from just north of Nick Fitcheard Road to south of Jeff Road. Meridian Street will be widened to three lanes between Pratt and Oakwood avenues.

Traffic on Alabama 53 is not expected to be disrupted for awhile because the initial work will be away from the road, said Chris Lovoy, project manager for Reed Contracting. But, Kelly Springs Road west of Alabama 53 will be closed some time this summer to cut down the hill at the intersection, Lovoy said. The project is expected to take two years, Lovoy said.

Reed Contracting was awarded a bid of almost $13.9 million from the Alabama Department of Transportation to widen the 4.6-mile segment of Alabama 53.

The state plans to widen Alabama 53 from Huntsville to Interstate 65 near Ardmore. The first phase between Mastin Lake and Nick Fitcheard roads was completed in 2007. The highway was widened for a short distance in each direction of Jeff Road in 2008 as part of a shopping center development.

The Meridian Street project involves widening it to three lanes between Pratt and Oakwood avenues and is expected to take 14-16 months. Reed doesn't plan to close Meridian Street during construction, Lovoy said.

There will be two-way traffic with one lane in each direction, he said. The company will place two traffic lanes on the east side of the street while it builds the west side of the new street, he said. Once the west side is built, two traffic lanes will be place on the west side for the company to build the east side.

The DOT awarded Reed a $3.16 million contract for the Meridian Street work.

The city recently finished widening Meridian Street to five lanes between Monroe Street and Pratt Avenue.

Baywood Drive reopened

A segment of Baywood Drive closed for the past two months reopened Friday.

Culvert construction on Baywood between Berkshire and Algerita drives has been completed and the street reopened to traffic.

Miller & Miller Inc. still has miscellaneous work to complete on the project and motorists should continue to use caution in the area.